**A South Korean who allegedly hunted down North Korean refugees hiding in China and sent them home has been arrested in Seoul, reports say.**The man, identified only by his surname Kim, is also accused of spying on the South’s military and on people aiding refugees, Yonhap news agency reports.
Tens of thousands of North Koreans are thought to have fled to China to escape hardship or persecution at home.
Activists say those sent home face severe punishment or execution.
Mr Kim, 55, was recruited by North Korea during an illegal visit to China in the late 1990s, Yonhap quoted prosecutors in Seoul as saying.
He received espionage training in Pyongyang in 2000 before being sent to China as an agent to hunt defectors, they said.
But he left China after an accomplice was jailed there. He was arrested as he arrived back in South Korea.
Officials said the case was being investigated to see whether Mr Kim had any further accomplices engaged in spying.
Seoul prosecution spokesman Oh Se-in told AP news agency Mr Kim had denied the charges.
Mr Oh said Mr Kim had violated South Korea’s National Security Law, which prohibits nationals from engaging in activities which could benefit Pyongyang or having unauthorised contact with North Koreans.
The two countries are still technically at war because the armistice that ended their conflict in 1953 has never been replaced with a peace treaty.This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.